By Orin
DavidsonJan. 29, 2008
Popular administrators John Aaron and Kris Prashad will lead New York
cricket into the new era of administrative development when they were
confirmed to the two top positions here following elections last Sunday
evening.

They will lead the New York Cricket Board as mandated
by the recently ratified new constitution of the national governing
body, the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA).

Aaron was an easy winner for Chairman of the Board
while Prasad narrowly won the right to become the first New York Representative
to USACA.

Prashad squeezed past Carlyle Miller in a two- man
contest by one vote as the six New York League presidents and three
new Board members, made a difficult decision to eliminate the latter
from high level involvement in New York cricket, at least for the
next three years.

Miller was the sitting New York Director up to the
day of elections when the position became redundant as required by
the new USACA constitution. In its place the Regions affiliated to
USACA are to be administered by Boards headed by a chairman and the
Representative to the national ruling body.

Prashad, a former president of the Eastern American
Cricket Association League, was considered Miller’s de facto
assistant in a steering committee, since the latter was elected Director
in 2005. Miller was also a powerful member on the USACA Board as a
result of his status as New York Director.

But as a result of his defeat, he no longer has as
any affiliation on the Board through his New York affiliation until
the next elections in three year’s time.

Aaron, the current EACA President breezed by Jeffrey
Morrishaw, his main contender in the battle for New York Chairman
by a 6-3 margin. As a result he will have to relinquish position as
EACA president.

The constitution which also requires four additional
New York Board members along with the League presidents, resulted
in the Clifford Hinds, Roy Sweeney, Godfrey Mitchell and Venelda Wallace
winning selection.

Hinds, a surprise appointee, considering he had expressed
no interest in serving in any official capacity on the Board, will
be responsible for youth affairs and Wallace will serve as the women’s
representative, as per constitution

Sweeney and Mitchell will be Board members at large.

The presidents of the EACA, Brooklyn, Metropolitan,
New York, American and Nassau Leagues comprised the electorate and
were eligible to partake in the voting process which determined the
Chairman and USACA Representative and the four additional members.

However, the Commonwealth League was deemed ineligible
to participate in the elections for non payment of affiliation money
to USACA.

There was some measure of disagreement among the other
league members and Miller on the issue early in Sunday’s meeting
but it was left unresolved.